No Ruling on 'Stop Drive Order' for GM Cars

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A federal judge refrained on Friday from issuing an emergency order that would have parked 2.6 million General Motors Co. cars recalled for defective ignition switches linked to at least 13 deaths.

U.S. District Court Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos said that before ruling she would need more time to study briefs submitted by attorneys for two owners of a recalled GM car and receive documents from the carmaker's lawyers.

A ruling on the requested "stop drive order" is expected in the coming days.

Since February, GM has recalled 2.6 million cars equipped with the switch. So far this year, GM has recalled a total of nearly 7 million vehicles, or about the same number recalled in the previous four years combined.

GM has said affected customers can get free loaner cars, but information about that program has been tough to find.